Yuu, My Older Brother
by Silverwing013
Summary: He tries to be responsible, in control, to not let uncertainties shown. He is serious and a hard worker. But to me, he's Yuu. My older brother. And he's the best. Moments between siblings. Yuu Kaito and little Rin Kaito. A collection of drabbles inspired by the 2019 Inktober Prompts. Set in the world of Rin.
1. Ring

**Ring**

"Yuu?"

His small round eyes immediately went to mine. "Yes? What is it Rin?"

"I know _he's_ not here." I'd never really gotten a clear idea on why, but the way Yuu spoke and Mom was answering the topic, it sounded like we were better off without. I was okay with that. I had Yuu. Like now, him walking back with me from the park. With all my friends. "But Tsukiko said that in order to have kids, the parents have to have rings before they can get them."

Startled, Yuu made a small noise in his throat, then pushed the bridge of his eyeglasses up.

"_I_ said that can't be right because anyone can put on a ring. They're only rings. Anyone can have one. Tsukiko has one. The plastic one she likes wearing with the fake emerald jewel on top. _She_ got really huffy when I said that to her and asked why she didn't have any kids."

I raised my voice, waving my hands about, pretending to be Tsukiko saying what she said. "It's not the same! It's got to be the real silver or gold band with real diamonds on them! With a mom and a dad! The adults that take care of the kids! Duh!"

No sense. I shook my head, walking quickly with my smaller feet down the sidewalk, finding I had to turn and walk backward to explain fully to Yuu. He wasn't speaking yet, so I had to keep going so he could give me a better answer than any of my friends.

"_Then_ Natsue said Tsukiko was wrong, that rings were between married adults, and they got in an argument about it before agreeing it was both. But I said there's no way they could be right because our mom doesn't have one and she still has us. Did it used to be Mom had one...when _he_ was still around to have us? And then…lost it or took it off because she didn't want any more kids with _him_?"

I huffed, throwing my hands up. "I _still_ don't see what wearing a ring has anything to do with just…just…magically getting kids somehow! It makes no sense!"

Yuu pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is only slightly awkward."

My eyes went wide. "They can't be magical!"

He laughed. "No, no, the rings are not magical Rin."

"Oh, good."

"Rings like those, between married couples, are a symbol and a promise. That is all. Adults don't need to be married or have rings to have children. Most, do. If it makes you feel more magical," Yuu added with an amused smile. "Mom did have a ring when myself and you were born. Although, with you, it was more out of habit. And a reminder to sell it about a month after you were born, as the promise had already been broken."

A pained look crossed his face and I didn't press.

"Okay." I nodded. "So, Yuu?"

His eyes found mine again. "Yes?"

"You're like an adult."

"I only look like it to you. You are five. I have only just turned fifteen."

"But I'm definitely a kid and you do some of the same things as Mom, looking out for me."

"That's what older brothers do."

"Not Mitsu's older brother," I pointed out in disagreement.

"That's what I do," he amended. Yuu's face was looking a little pinched. I don't know why. It's not like what I wanted to say had anything to do with _him_. Then, as if he regretted it, asked, "What is the question, Rin?"

"It's not a question!"

Yuu blinked at me, caught unaware.

"But you're old enough to have kids, right?"

His face slowly went a weird shade of pink. Voice strained, he answered me. "Technically, yes. But that does not make me an ad—"

"Before you do the adult thing to get kids, I want you to get the magical ring." I pursed my lips tightly together and nodded decisively. "For you deserve it, Yuu. Someone who is worthy of such a promise from you has _got_ to be someone special and their promise to you wouldn't even be a question. I know it's not the ring, but I want your symbol to last since…since the other one in your life didn't and hurt you… You hear me Yuu? You _are_ getting the magical ring."

I paused.

"Someday. Not now. They can have you when I'm a few years older."

Yuu stared at me. The burst into laughter.

"Deal," he chuckled out. Yuu had a wide smile on his face, wiping at a tear that'd leaked down from laughing so hard. Looking at me, he ruffled my head, bits of laughter sputtering out as he looked at me. Then he shook his head. "You don't have to worry about losing me, Rin. Not until, oh, let's say when you are seventeen. Well old enough to be a rebellious teenager, like I never was."

I blinked at him. "But you're not even seventeen yet! That's…that's…like—"

"Twelve years from now? When I would have any schooling complete and a career going enough to have me settled, about… Twenty-seven."

"That's ancient! How about in two years? When _you're_ seventeen?"

Amused, his smile cracked down at me. "Rin, no one at school is looking to date me. Much less make promises like those. I would still be in school. Like you. I would have better luck after some people grow out of school drama."

"But you're old and you'd be even older! High school, it's different than junior high! I'd date you! I know you! You're awesome! Of course everyone would want to date you, Yuu! Everyone I know likes you!"

Yuu's head went down, bending over as he walked around the corner and into the apartment building, laughing even harder than before. I raced after him.

"It's true!"


	2. Mindless

**Mindless**

I sneezed. Several times. Ouch. It was down to a dull ache though. I can't wait until—

A tissue appeared in front of me.

Taking it, I blew my red and sore and dry and itchy nose. Ugh. It'd still be there after this was gone I bet. Just awful. When you were done being sick, everything should be gone with it. And my throat felt all wrong and dry too. I didn't need to cough, but it was like my body couldn't stop—

A glass with a lid and straw suddenly appeared.

Ah. Coconut water. That was nice and sweet, cool and refreshing. Too bad my body was so used to coughing, that it ignored the drink. Why is getting sick even a thing? It's the worst. The most—

A cough drop was handed over.

Sticking it in my mouth, I looked over to Yuu hunched up under his own blanket beside me on the couch, a schoolbook and notebook propped precariously on his knees as he worked, eyes red and nose dripping. He sniffled and a cough sounded up through him, despite him clenching and forcing his mouth shut. And he kept at it. I smiled. Just like Yuu.

I rubbed at my temple. How did that work out? I smile and my face hurts. For a smile. That didn't seem fair at—

Yuu adjusted his things, reaching to the side with his hand not holding the pen, grabbed an ice pack and gave it to me. All without taking his eyes off his schoolbook. I took it and pressed it to my forehead, shifting to see all the things set out on the side table on Yuu's side of the couch. Then back to him. Things readjusted on his knees, sniffling his nose, and working.

"Yuu," my voice croaked out.

"Hm?" His hand reached back out, absently searching. And grabbed at air. He frowned. Glancing up, he looked to the side table and then to my hands to spot the drink he'd already handed me, then up to me. His voice croaked and cracked worse than mine. "What do you need Rin?"

"Your nose is dripping."

His small round eyes blinked at me. "Oh." The discovery seemed to startle him a bit. "Right."

And he reached over, taking a tissue for himself.

I smiled again. Even if it hurt my face. Only Yuu would get so mindless when it came to him and his work. I drew up the blanket around me and leaned in toward him, sipping at my drink while watching the television and he kept working. This time, a tissue at hand.


	3. Bait

**Bait**

"Rin. What are you doing?"

I stuck out my tongue, concentrating. "Nothing."

"It is not nothing."

Carefully, I tied the string around the hole made in the piece of paper and smiled. Lifting up the stick the string was tapped to, I waved it about and grinned up at Yuu. "Made a fishing pole."

Twisting at the desk, Yuu cocked his head to get a good look at what I'd tied to the end of the string.

"That is a picture of Aoi. I believe one is supposed to use a worm."

I wagged a finger at him. "But these fishing poles," I said importantly. With a wave, I showed off my fishing pole collection. "Are for people."

Amused, his mouth quirked up. "And who, exactly, is supposed to fall for the bait of Aoi?"

I beamed. "He always does set Natsue off."

Yuu chuckled. "Aoi does have that tendency. The next trip to the park ought to be a sight to see."

"They think they can get you on a fishing pole," I informed him. "You play with us at times and they all want to prove they can reel in 'Big Brother Yuu'."

"Oh?"

Curious, Yuu turned in the desk seat further, eyes peering closely at each of my fishing poles and counting them.

"You didn't make one for me?"

"I know the true bait to call you."

His eyebrow rose up over his eyeglasses. "Oh, really?"

"Yep."

"Bluffing, Rin? You have not made one to prove this."

I stared at him, eyes wide. "I can't break laws of nature! There's no way one of your schoolbooks or research books would ever stay on these with tape! And you bring them with you to the park! Kind of hard to fish for you when you already have the best bait right in your hands. It's the same reason everyone else won't be able to fish me with anything they tape on. We'd already be sitting up on the climbing bars."

"You do love climbing," he mused to himself. "Sure that no other bait could call me over to this fishing game?"

I frowned. "An essay maybe? A video game? Or a picture of a rare plant?"

"I imagine there is a bigger one. After all, I think it is in the name your friends refer to me as."

"Me? That's just you being you. The best older brother. I'm not bait."

"Is that not what I should choose? As the 'best older brother'?"

Staring at the floor, I worked that through my head, trying to figure it out. Then nodded, decision made. "I'm going to make sure they all know it. I won't go for any of their fishing poles unless it has you as the worm."

Yuu chuckled. "I am very much honored to be your worm."

"Ah! But you're like the best worm and not really a worm at all! You're not a worm, Yuu! You, you are um, not a worm! You're more like…you are too nice and kind and not a slimy dirty worm, but, but…"

"A dangling dead worm."

"No! You're all heart! And the best heart! You're a heart of gold!"

His hand waved it off. "I am not that kind, Rin. I am not known for such niceties to the majority of frivolous teenagers I must put up with at school. Preferring to not even speak to them. Heart of gold is not for me. Worm is fine. They are good for the soil of plants."

"But you're definitely a heart of gold brother," I declared firmly. "You can't argue that because I am your sister and know you as a brother and so do all my friends. A heart of gold brother."

Yuu breathed out heavily, an odd expression on his face, pen tapping on the desk behind him. "All right. Have it your way, Rin."

He turned back to his work and I grinned.

Then I got to work on coloring a golden heart on a piece of paper to tie to my last stick.


	4. Freeze

**Freeze**

I heard the word and spun, making a face, then burst into giggles at the amused face.

I heard the word and twirled, bursting into giggles when I stopped to see the shake of a head.

I heard the word and jumped, striking a pose, giggling at the huff and roll of eyes.

It was always giggle worthy. For no matter the person was. When I heard that word, I will ham it up and act up and be mischievous in there never being a photograph of me that didn't cause a reaction.

And then this.

Yuu wanted a stand still, polite, side-by-side. Just this once. Please.

"Can you take a simple nice picture, Rin?"

"I can."

"Look up here," Mom directed us with a smile. "And...freeze."

I crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue.

"Rin."

Mom laughed though and I giggled. Win.

"She didn't say she would take a nice simple picture."

I lit up. "Right!"

"And the mother encourages the daughter," Yuu grumbled. "Would you take a nice picture with me? Once?"

"I don't know. I hear that word and I just...BLAH!" I flicked my hands up and puffed up my cheeks. "My way is so much more fun. You should take one like me!"

"Fine. One of each."

I heaved out a heavy breath. "Fiiine. I'll take a boring one. For you."

"Look up here," Mom said again to us, camera already up. "And...freeze."

I sucked in my cheeks and quickly stuck my hands up in a rocker pose. Looked beside me and brust into laughter at Yuu. He'd flapped his hands next to his face and made a fish face.

"Look up here again. And...smile."

I sidled up against Yuu, under the crook of his arm, and smiled.


	5. Build

**Build**

At first, it started as seeing if I could put something on without notice. Then it moved on to piling. Finally, I had reached the point of shifting the pile and adding to it to make something specifically.

Upside-down plastic cups served well for a cityscape. A few stacked to show off the skyscrapers. A thin ruler across his body for a bridge. Then another bridge. Erasers stood in for cars. I found a pair of blue socks to stand in for lakes.

And then the mountain opened its eyes.

"Mount Yuu awakens!"

"I've been awake. What are you doing?"

"You've been asleep so long Mount Yuu that a city has been built upon you."

"Impressive build. Let me guess, the city of Rinto? And the erasers are people?"

"There are people in them. Cars."

I began pushing the cars bit by bit, moving my hand from each to each, creating a traffic jam. Away from Mount Yuu.

"Where are they all going?"

"They hear you rumbling and feel you shaking the ground. To safety. And pray no lava appears."

Yuu's small round eyes went to me.

"Well, I am not spitting for you. Besides," he added on trying to stop his mouth from twitching. "Perhaps they should worry about the smaller one where they are all driving toward."

"Huh?"

"I only opened my eyes because I need to use the restroom," he clarified. "Could you relocate your city?"

I stared at him.

"That's far worse than any earthquake or lava spewing," I said at a hush. "The whole land moving."

Staring longer, Yuu laid there in wait. I drew in a large breath. Then, I made my huge pronouncement.

"The great Yuu Monster has awoken from his slumber! The city will fall! No one is safe!"

And ran out of the bedroom as fast as my small feet could take me.


	6. Husky

**Husky**

I ran through the alphabet once again as Yuu walked through the produce, picking out what looked to be choice fruits and vegetables. He eyed the sweet corn. You could see the gears turning in his head as he ran the prices and what we had for yen. I clapped when he plucked one, two, and three out and placed them into the basket.

"Baby," he said simply, quizzing.

I stared back, blinking. "Um… Hint?"

His small round eyes moved over the apples, making quick selections to add. "Starts with the second letter."

"B. Oh!" I grin at him and parroted the word back in English. "Baby!"

"Correct. We need to pay for these."

"Okay, Yuu."

I ran through the alphabet again, stumbling a bit, as always, nearly forgetting the 'm' and forever not quite getting the 'r' out right. Yuu handed the cashier the correct amount with both hands once the total came up. I held both my hands out, but Yuu took the bags.

"Money."

I frowned. And scowled. Why did I have this feeling the word started with the letter I tended to forget?

"Hey, dude. We lost our wallets, know what I mean?"

Bumping into one of the bags and Yuu's leg outside the entrance, I glanced up to see why we'd stopped. Two teenagers looking rough and smirking, stared down at Yuu. The husky and stronger looking guy spotted me and his smirk grew larger. He nudged at his buddy, built like a beanpole and all sharp elbows, having the effect of both smiling at me and Yuu handing me the bags in that hand to draw me behind him.

Then his hand moved to his pocket, pulling out the four 100 yen coins he had tucked aside.

"Hey!"

The voice screeched. Then went somewhere between gravelly rough and croaking, threatening to hit some piercing higher pitches. The two standing in front of Yuu leapt back, eyes wide, but fists up.

"I've already told you two off! This morning! It's even the same storefront! And, _a little girl_?"

The boy in charge of such an odd voice finally reached us, sliding between us and the two asking money out of Yuu. I stared up at his back, covered in an unfamiliar school uniform, arms out wide. He must have been the same age as Yuu. They were the same height. The same kind of curls that Yuu had were also on this older boy. As far as I could tell.

Footsteps pounded down the sidewalk and I peered around Yuu's arm to see three more in the same uniform as the one with the voice. The two blocked by this entourage were looking far more wide eyed. But also, very much more fists up with fierce scowls.

"Me and my gang got this. You two are safe to go. And I daresay Okubo will take this to heart. A little girl?"

"Violence," Yuu ridiculed under his breath. "Come on. We're staying out of this."

The walk back to the station was quiet. Yuu took the bags back that he'd handed me. Using the yen in his pocket, he paid. I kept my mouth shut, not pointing out the fare yen he'd stashed in his shoe, his usual method he preferred to use even though this did not normally happen. The yen for the groceries had been tucked into another place until we'd reached the store as well.

Still…

We stood, waiting, for the next train to arrive.

"Money," I said in English.

Blinking, Yuu glanced to me, then said something in English I couldn't follow. Wry. It sounded a bit like a quote. He ruffled the top of my head.

"Safe," he intoned. Then followed it up in English.

I nodded and patted his now empty pocket, repeating the word.

"Train's here." His nose wrinkled and he adjusted the arm of his eyeglasses. "I was already on edge coming here. Better deals or not."

Grinning, I hopped on the train after him, then said an easy one in English.

"Goodbye," I said with finality.

And back by two stations we went.


	7. Enchanted

**Enchanted**

Mom turned the page, pointing and telling the stories attached. I pointed as well, to others that caught my eye. She went into detail about those too. It was a joy to see and hear all about the pictures of me when I was so little I didn't remember and how she remembered it versus how Yuu did when he'd interject to correct something or add explanation to Mom's lacking one. In his mind.

It was amazing how either so very serious Yuu held his posture and face at times, especially in the ones that were taken out and about at places. He lost some of that control when it was only us. Particularly with me and all my shenanigans.

Heh. Shenanigans.

What was also fun was the times Mom felt nostalgic and took down the album with her old photos inside. The ones when she was a little girl with her mom and dad. A teenager posing with a group of friends. Her curls and headband were the same throughout. Maybe a bit longer when she was a kid, but most the time, the same. Yuu had the same, even if he tried to gel them curlier on top. Mine were _bouncy_.

But I've gotten old enough to wonder…

Where were the ones with Yuu when he was little like me?

Yuu stilled. Then slowly, hesitantly, he stood. And reached behind the other books on the shelf, sliding out another photo album.

I perked up, listening close as Mom began telling the stories along with these pictures. Yuu looks so different with the chubby cheeks and toothy smiles! I almost didn't know it was him!

Faltering, Yuu picked up the stories with the old childhood photographs of himself, a few having Mom too.

Utterly enchanted by seeing and hearing these for the first time, I soaked in every word and picture, not speaking up in fear of the moment being broken.

It was like Mom's faded older pictures. Some empty spots inside the album. A few pictures being a little shorter or squarer. But my focus was set on what was there, the pictures that mattered and the tales that went with, stories that made up our family.

And Yuu as a kid sounded _hilarious_ from how Mom would tell the stories.


	8. Frail

**Frail**

One foot stuttering forward, then the other, stopping and jerking oddly as I went.

"I got it, Yuu," I puffed out determinedly.

His feet continued on. Like he didn't pause to say we leave it behind to go back for or offer to somehow take the load himself. Doggedly, I carried on.

The potted plant was sinking lower and lower, my back bending as I went along, leaves cracking off in brushing at my face. I tried to hold it farther out. Tried to stand straighter as I went.

Eventually, I made it the short distance down to our apartment, making a scowling face at Yuu when he set his two pots down to turn back to me.

"See?"

"I can hardly miss it," he said dryly in return.

"Do you think they'll make it?"

I glanced back to see the few leaves that marked our trail from the older auntie several doors down the apartment hallway. She was moving out. Her health had gone rapidly downhill recently, so she had asked Yuu to take care of her plants, as her son and his family she was moving in with lived out of Kyoto, more country area. I looked back to the three potted plants in question. If one could call them plants with the shriveling leaves and wilting stems and caked dry dirt inside.

"They seem a little…"

"Frail?" He finished, posing the word for me. I nodded. His shoulder raised up slightly. "They need some extra support. That is all."

Yuu sounded confident. Yuu appeared confident. Yuu was the one who took care of our houseplants.

I eyed the plants. I was a little unsure how he'd manage to do it, but I was sure he would. I nodded, unfalteringly convinced, believing in my older brother.

"Okay. We got this."

"I got this. You hold the door as I carry them in." His mouth twitched. "I saw well enough of you keeping your word on getting one down the hallway, Rin."

I contemplated it for a moment. Our door did tend to slide shut, but we had a block to use in keeping it open at times. Holding the door wasn't _needed_ needed. But even then, the block slid a little and sometimes was accidently kicked when bringing bigger things or multiple items inside. And then I remembered how heavy the potted plant had been. Yuu was bigger. Bigger muscles than me. And I had gotten it down the hallway… So I didn't have to prove I could get it all the way in as I never said I would.

"I could carry it in," I said. "But I never said I would."

"Oh? That joke works to my advantage now?"

I sucked in my lips, trying not to smile. "What joke? I did as I said."

"I know." Yuu's eyebrow raised up over his eyeglasses at me. "The door?"

I saluted, beaming broadly. "Can and will!"


	9. Swing

**Swing**

"But we'll have to cut it down to only two bases," Tsukiko informed us importantly. "With teams of three, we can't do three bases, if one team does well. All their batters would be on base with no one able to bat."

Aoi's hand shot up. "What if bases are full and the third person strikes out?"

"Then they bat again."

"I want to be on the same team as Mitsu," I chirped in. Whatever rules Tsukiko said were fine with me. As long as we got to playing it.

"Fine. Aoi," Tsukiko said sharply. Aoi snapped to attention, eyes bright under his spiky hair. "As the other more active one, you're on the other team. Natsue will be on Rin and Mitsu's team."

Aoi drooped at that decision. I giggled with Mitsu. Stepping up next to Tsukiko as part of the other team, Yasahiro meet our eyes, breaking into a smile about Aoi's disappointment. Natsue, however, simply stood next to me and Mitsu as though it didn't matter to her. She tried so hard not to, but Aoi often got to her and got a kick out of setting her off. It _was_ funny.

After a bit of discussion, our team of three decided on having Natsue be the one tossing the ball to batters. And, with very little prompting needed, Aoi was chosen to be the other team's first at bat. I looked over to Mitsu on the left side of our impromptu baseball field, both me and her grinning.

"Check it out Natsue!" Aoi danced around the chosen mark for home plate, pointing the bat at her. "I'm going to hit it right back you!"

"Watch where you are slinging that around," Yuu called out from the park bench. "All of you. Don't forget the people behind you."

"Of course, big brother Yuu!"

"We won't!"

"Thanks, big brother Yuu!"

I waved over at Yuu, then put my attention back on our game. I spotted Natsue's hand clenched around the baseball. "Get to the plate so we can start, Aoi."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Her hand clenched tighter. And I caught her mouthing the word to the side. "Idiot."

"Wait!" Tsukiko called out.

"Swing batter batter batter, swing!"

"We need a catcher!"

Aoi pulled the bat back, Tsukiko dashing behind to fill in as catcher, and we all gasped.

Thunk!

"Tsukiko!"

Aoi spun around, dropping the bat. "Tsukiko! I didn't know… I checked before I… I didn't mean to hit you! Are you okay?"

For a moment, she stood there, eyes wide. Then her hand went up to touch her head. Blinked and her jaw trembled, tears rolling down her face. Oh no. I took a step closer, trying to see Tsukiko better.

Her answer finally came out, Tsukiko crying, "Nooo!"

I sprinted over. Everyone sprinted over. There was no blood that I could see. No bump. Her face had gone red in crying, but it _did_ look a little redder on her forehead.

"What hurts?"

"Do you want us to get you something?"

"I can yell at Aoi for you."

"Is it just your head?"

"It doesn't look like its bleeding."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"You can hit me with the bat!"

"Look here," interrupted a stronger voice in the chaos.

Gulping and hiccupping and still wailing some, Tsukiko's eyes latched onto the speaker.

Yuu.

He crouched in front of Tsukiko, her eyes following him as he stared steadily at her.

"Take a deep breath."

Shakily, she did so and I relaxed. He wasn't tutting like when I injured myself and going for Band-Aids. Tsukiko was going to be okay. She wasn't really hurt. More scared like the one time when we were younger, Mitsu banged her head on the climbing bars trying to follow me going so quickly up them.

"Let it out."

Air whooshed out.

"Now. How about we head over to the fountain? Get you some water?"

Tsukiko nodded. "Okay," she said quietly.

We stood, quietly watching and waiting as they walked over to the water fountain, Tsukiko taking a small drink. Then they came back, Yuu's hand reaching to the small of her back, giving her a nudge back to the rest of us.

"Don't forget the people behind you move. Look every time."

"Yes, big brother Yuu," came the chorus following his safety rule. I nodded.

"And everyone, try to be mindful of where the rest are at. Call it. Or you will run into each other trying to catch the ball."

"We will!"

"It was only a bump on the head. Don't let that stop any of you from having fun. Go on."

Tsukiko slid up next to me as Yuu returned to the park bench he'd left his schoolbook on. "Hey, Rin? I'm glad your brother was here today. The deep breath and drink of water really helped. My parents say I'll be fine and I usually am, but… I'm glad your brother is usually here when we play."

I grin at her. "Yuu's awesome, isn't he?"

She smiled back at me, nodding.

"You can still hit me with the bat if you want Tsukiko!"

"Aoi! Quit waving that around."

"Aw, I looked, Natsue! No one is even near me! See? Everyone's like five meters away from me!"

"Don't you give me that, Aoi. Stop it."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Both Tsukiko and I turned see and laughed. As did Mitsu and Yasahiro.

Aoi had saluted Natsue with the wooden bat, freezing in place, following her order of not waving it around. Natsue then huffed and rolled her eyes, marching back to our make-do pitching mound, muttering, "Idiot."


	10. Pattern

**Pattern**

Curiosity reached me. Niggled and sat within me oddly, keeping me up past Yuu. Which was a bit of something I think. He'd been up a while, tapping at his mattress in agitated thoughts, before finally it trailed off and he fell asleep.

I slid out of my bed, padding carefully over to the selection of books Yuu had proclaimed worth the buy. Language and grammar and English. English. The English ones were the draw.

He'd taken down Moby Dick for me earlier, which I'd read, better than even I fully expected. Yuu had gone oddly quiet then. I'd pushed it away then, but…

The curiosity was there.

I took Moby Dick back down, moving toward the window for a little bit of light. Cracking it open, I began reading it. The letters were not unfamiliar, Yuu had given me a few English workbooks, testing use of a few words and phrases to say. But nowhere near the ease I found lately in having those words fall out of my mouth or in accidently using them in writing my name. Some words were understandable. Figuring out a few sentences? Sure. Short ones. Like, 'I like cats' or 'This is a pencil'.

But Moby Dick?

I wasn't unfamiliar with English, but this was far more familiar than before. Than before the accident. Before memories of a past life.

Yuu had said leaking.

And I'd realized at that moment how young he really is.

The thought felt extremely right. And extremely very much wrong. And yet…

Seventeen was not really that old.

Just turned seventeen.

It was still school age.

I glanced over to where Yuu was still sleeping.

The same age as… I reached out, calling it back. The face flickered before me. Stubborn and spoiled, but with reason, a hard worker always trying to catch up with her three older siblings. The youngest of us.

Of my past life, I quickly corrected at realizing I thought 'us'.

And the meal I made, insisting on cleaning up after, racing over when I thought him in danger, dashing in between Yuu and Kurama, the need to join their group out of my worry for him…

I was only…trying to help. Not affected by my past life. Not trying to be an older sibling to Yuu. He's my older brother. Everything in me agrees to that. Not leaking. Just…I had more knowledge in me. That was it. I was still…me. I was still Rin.

Just…trying to help Yuu. That was all.

I put the book back up and headed back to my bed. Noticing, I reached over and tugged the bedsheets back up for Yuu. Groggily, he shifted, his eyes cracking open.

"Rin? Did you…" He squeezed his eyes shut, then back open with more focus. "Why are you up?"

"Bathroom," I lied, not wanting to worry him about me or the whole leaking thing he thought up earlier today. "I'm going back to bed, Yuu. Sorry if I woke you. I was only pulling your sheet back up for you. Goodnight, Yuu."

Startled, taken aback, Yuu suddenly appeared far more awake. His eyes pinched a bit. And watched me strangely. I checked my hands. No, that wasn't why.

"Goodnight. Rin."

I settled in under the sheets. And laid there. Listening. Yuu's fingers were tapping again. I turned.

Helping.

Not breaking the pattern.

Yuu was my older brother.

I could tuck him in.

Helping.

He had been looking more thrown off lately. Like just now.

The lists he'd had me make had filled his face with clarity. And hit him hard.

Leaking.

I swallowed in the dark of our bedroom.

And forced myself not to ask Yuu to get out of bed to tuck me in.

* * *

Breaking pattern myself in skipping into during the main story of Rin, rather than before the accident happened with little(r) Rin and Yuu. Also, celebrating it being 10/10. First airing day for YuYu Hakusho. And how many nods I've caught in Naruto to that date. Or giggling over the new stage play that just ended starting the first night at Theatre 1010.


	11. Snow

**Snow**

Mom had insisted and I was glad for it. Yuu perhaps was not the most excited. I could practically see the calculations and cost running through his head. Not to mention the chill in the air. He kept adjusting his blocky coat and hat, then trying to catch me to fix my hat.

Laughing and giggling, I danced away, yanking the hat down as I went.

My cheeks already felt bright pink.

The morning trip and train ride on the Eizan Line had amped up my excitement.

I knew we were here for the village. And to see the shrine. And walk up to the mountain temple. There was the hot spring too. All the nature that wasn't so easily enjoyed in Kyoto. Especially…a very certain kind of nature.

Sitting still?

I'd done that.

For far longer than I liked.

First thing we had done was taken an early lunch at Aburaya Shokudo. To fill ourselves up before the climb up to everything. Yuu and Mom may have needed it, but I just wanted to go!

Dashing ahead, I found a patch off the side of the well-traveled path and scooped. It nibbled at my fingers. Even with gloves.

"Rin," Yuu warned.

There was no stopping me!

With a shriek I threw it. The snow made a wonderful splatting thunk against his coat.

I ran farther up the path, laughing, staying along the edge to kick and stomp on other patches of white that never stuck in Kyoto.

This was so much fun!

I scooped up another and twirled around, screeching each time I threw, even if Yuu was ducking most of them now. Dashing up in spurts ahead of him and Mom, smiling and laughing at snowball pelting, I reached the shrine first.

Splat!

"Ah! Mom!"

I spun about, shaking my head to get the snow off. And caught sight of her behind me, hiding her laughter behind a hand.

Then, a finger shifted away from her face, pointing.

I turned. Hands deliberately shoved into his pockets, Yuu had passed me by. I narrowed my eyes at his hidden hands, up to the back of his head, and back to his hidden hands.

"Yuu."

He tilted his head back, peering over a shoulder to myself and Mom.

"Coming?"

Squinting, I saw it. I'm sure of it. The twitch of his mouth. Okay, I'm not sure. But Mom wouldn't point him out and saw it was him if it wasn't.

Plus, the hidden hands.

I was totally going to scoop up snow and stick it down his coat when he stopped to wash his hands and drink. He'd never expect it then. Bad etiquette, but I was totally going to do it.

Mom laughed and Yuu's mouth definitely twitched.

I pouted.

It wasn't my fault I wasn't cold blooded or anything and the ball of awesome freezing cold melted before Yuu bent to take a drink.


	12. Dragon

**Dragon**

"I'm a wood ox," I declared upon entering.

Mom looked up from cleaning the floor. "Is that so?"

"Her class was discussing the zodiac today," Yuu explained as he entered behind me.

I poured. "Yuu doesn't want to tell me what he is. He's fifteen now so, 1991 minus... That's 1990, 19...89, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, mine. Then 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981, 1980, 19...79...wait. How many back is that?"

I frowned, trying to remember. I lost both hands, so more than 10, but how much more than 10? And...did I remember the order well enough to figure out which animal went to which year that far from mine?

"Oh! Mom! What are you? Are you an ox too?"

"I'm a few years off for an ox," Mom said.

And paused.

Aghast, my mouth fell. Mom wasn't going to do the same thing as Yuu, would she?

"I was born in the year of the pig. Water element, but for the year I was born, earth pig."

"Whoa! Neat!"

Amused, Yuu came out our bedroom from setting down his things. "Do you even know what that means, Rin?"

I wilted and piuted more. "No. But it sounds neat. I bet they're lucky."

"Actually, earth pigs do tend to be considered as born lucky in life. One of the colors for us is yellow."

I gasped. "My favorite color! It's one for me too! For a wood ox! What about you, Yuu? Do you have yellow too? I bet you're something good. Like...a gold dog."

"A gold dog?" Yuu raised an eyebrow over his glasses.

"Or, um water dog." I nodded. I had seen those descriptions fitting Yuu. And liked the idea of him being year of the dog. No real reason, just, I don't know. Dog seemed good to me. "But gold is best for you!"

He blinked. "Right. No gold."

"Water?"

"And here you had been so excited as a child to find out your mascot was a phoenix," Mom teased.

Yuu went slightly pink.

"A phoenix! Yuu! You're awesome!"

He sighed, eyes going up. "Fine. Year of the dragon, fire dragon. And yes, a phoenix, like anyone else born that year."

He ducked back into our bedroom and I chased after him. "A phoenix! For sure you're meant for gold then!"

* * *

Had a little much fun typing in years and figuring zodiac animals out. Yuu's fire dragon description works fairly well for him. Funnily enough, Yusuke IS year of fire dragon and mascot being the phoenix for the manga. I've been going off anime years for setting timelines in my head though, even if nods to manga, so in the world of Rin, Yusuke falls into being born in 1978, year of the horse, earth horse. For fun, I am also year of dragon, but not fire dragon cool with amazing mascot.


	13. Ash

**Ash**

I spied the box before we left Yojigen Mansion. And swiped it up, despite any squawking from Kuwabara and Yuu admonishing me. "Rin."

Glancing up to check for the owner, I flipped it open, counting. "Can I have six pieces of paper, Yuu?"

Kuwabara made gasping noises, squawking more, arms waving. I laughed, giggling at him. And then spotted the sharp eyes of Yuu's classmate just behind him.

My good humor at Kuwabara's reaction quickly fled and I pointedly ignored the one behind him, looking up to Yuu. "Rolled up?"

"I doubt it will stop him from getting his hands on more," Yuu said, tone dry and annoyed. But he opened his schoolbag and pulled out a sheet of paper, folding and tearing it into six equal pieces.

I fought a grin, hearing Kuwabara sputtering and snickering into full blown laughing hysterics behind me.

"A pen too, please?"

A pen appeared.

"Thanks, Yuu," I chirruped.

Neatly, I wrote messages on each one, placing them inside the box. Fairly typical health messages on them and concerns of unsafe fires. I'm pretty sure Yusuke went through one from the bits I know from the story my past life read. There was a sudden heat, image of dark smoke and licking colors that burned, a shadowy figure leaving me behind and the smell of ash past the sharp dry burn snapping up and through my nostrils. There was a sudden pull back, yanking, the moment gone. I stared at the message of unsafe fires, throat pinched shut and speechless at the sudden memory from my past life, then made that message darker.

"Dare I ask why?"

"To assist him in kicking the habit. He likes kicking, doesn't he?"

Somewhere in the background, Kuwabara howled.

"And," I added with a grin. "Because it's funny."

I put a bit of taunting on the last message.

And also, I thought with a cackle of laughter in my head, because I want to have someone holding _him_ responsible for something.

I put the box back where I found it, smiled over at Kuwabara and Kurama. The former grinned past tears of laughter and the latter blinked in surprise, yet smiled back at me. Then I looked back to Yuu with a larger smile. "Okay, Yuu. I'm ready to go now."

We ended up waiting a few more seconds for Yana and Asato before heading out. Kuwabara had already dashed out with a wave, sniggering still, but yelling back how he really had to get going to make it back to Sarayashiki before bell. I skipped along with Yuu and Yana and Asato and Kurama for most the way; cheerfully chatting about Mitsu and Tsukihito, Natsue and Aoi, things at my school and all else in between. Yana turned in one direction, Asato split off in another, and Yuu paused at where I needed to make the turn for my school.

Kurama gave a polite farewell as he continued on ahead.

To both of us.

I smiled and waved goodbye to him.

"Rin."

My smile widened. "Yes, Yuu?"

"You do realize Urameshi is likely to figure out Minamino, Kurama, is not truly the one behind his cigarettes tossed out for pieces of paper. You do realize? He will realize eventually. They have known each other for some time. It'll come out," he hesitated some with a creasing of worry. "That it was you."

I grinned. "Eventually. I know it's not much, but I'm still gunna mess with him."

Surprise. And then Yuu's mouth twitched, worry lines fading, chuckles cracking out.

"I would imagine," he paused, taking in a breath past the amusement showing more clearly on his face. "Quite the look of confusion, bafflement, sheer panic on Minamino's face when Urameshi comes barreling in the middle of class as he made the ill decision to skip his own classes, yelling at the top of his lungs using choice language and an unfortunate nickname to stir up plenty of anthills in questions and rumors and drama that will follow. Eventually indeed."

Yuu ruffled my hair.

"And, most importantly," he added more solemnly. "Perhaps the messages about the dangers of smoking may sink in."

I giggled. "Of course."

And Yuu liked to pretend he didn't enjoy my mischief or brand of humor. Grousing, complaining when either I or our mom teased and joked. We knew the truth. Yuu enjoyed it. He also liked to be taken seriously. Maybe from his comments about school and his classmates, _they_ bought his serious and tall and distinguished act, but _we_ knew the truth.

"Best hurry to school, Rin."

"Bye, Yuu! Best hurry to _your_ school! Could have a special visitor today!"


	14. Overgrown

**Overgrown**

It was more noticeable and Yuu was becoming fussier.

Slicking the sides back, trying to gel the end curl up and under. Crunching and fluffing and pressing down. I could hear the annoyed exhale.

Something just under a curl and more than a wave tumbled down from the top of his head, falling across his forehead and tickling at his eyelashes.

His hair was too long.

The weight of it was pulling out the curls.

And it was getting to him.

He'd never slick it all the way back and out of the way.

Yuu would lose the curls he was trying to make more prominent. As well as getting that look on his face I caused yesterday at suggesting he slick it back. The same look he got when topic became close to _him_.

"Want some of my curls?"

He peered back at me. "Did you finish breakfast?"

"Yep! I could cut some off."

Yuu's nostrils flared, breathing out, shifting back to peer balefully at his hair. "That's what I'll need to do. It's far overgrown the last one." He paused, thinking it over. "If I keep meals at... Doable. Actually. It has been a time since your last trim, Rin."

I perked up, bounding forward. "Can I get it styled while we're there?"

His eyebrow raised. "Only if you can manage to charm the new trainee they took on the last time I went. She's mellow, but leans toward cynical and doesn't do most of what usual trainees do in jumping up at any request. I can do your hair up."

"I knooow." I dragged it out and puffed out my cheeks, watching as Yuu dug through a drawer and pulled out a few hairpins. With deft fingers, he grabbed the longer locks refusing to stay and began pinning them into place. "But it's kind of fun when others do it and play with it and awe over it because it's curly."

Yuu's nose wrinkled a little, shifting his eyeglasses as he twisted, eyeing his reflection to make sure his hair looked to his liking. I giggled. They fussed over his curls too and while he preferred his curls, he wasn't as much a fan of them doing that and wasting his time, rather than being quick and efficient about it.

Sure enough, as soon as the curls were up and in place, Yuu was ready to go.

But...

"Do my hair up, Yuu! Pleaaase?"

"Sit."

I clapped and sat down on the stool, scooching close to the toilet. Digging through the drawer, Yuu turned and sat on the toilet behind me, carefully parting my hair. His hands pulled at first one side, banding it up, then the other. The weight sat funny on top my head and I shook it back and forth, then leapt up to look at the buns on my head in the mirror.

"It looks awesome! You're awesome at hair, Yuu!"

"At mine. Or yours. I've been doing your hair since before you crawled, much less climbed. Let's head out."

"But Mom says I climbed before I crawled."

"Only on those who held you," he replied. "I nearly dropped you the first few times you did that."

"You'd never drop me, Yuu. I trust you."

His head slowly swiveled down to where I bounced along beside him, eyeballing me slowly.

"Please don't do that now. You're much heavier."

"I'm not that heavy." I grinned. And jumped.

Seeing it coming, Yuu twisted and wrapped his arms around me, stumbling back a step. But caught me. And I had a hold of him, pulling myself up by his shoulders, swinging around to hang off his back. Yuu's arms came around and hefted me up onto a sturdier position on his back.

"See?"

"Fine. I concede. You are not that heavy. Still heavy enough. Warn me when you want to jump on me, at least get my attention."

Hearing the safety warning, I nodded.

"I will. You can trust me to do that and I will trust you to catch me no matter what, Yuu!"


	15. Legend

**Legend**

Shape-shifters were among my favorites.

There was the tanuki, mujina, kitsune, ten, bakeneko...among others.

Yuu liked to tease me. That of course I enjoyed the mischievous type of legends.

I also enjoyed the times Yuu read to me.

Maybe I was really a tanuki, I liked to joke back. That someday I would change forms.

And then I would stick my belly out as far as I could and drum on it.

All in fun. After all, I knew I wasn't a tanuki, these stories were just pure fun. Maybe they gave me a few ideas to try. But shape-shifting, changing forms? That was the supernatural edge to them that was not possible. The other parts...

"Do not use up all the paper to leave your own tanuki writings everywhere."

Sucking in a startled breath, I gave Yuu the most innocent looking wide eyes I could, trying to imitate the face of the animal in question.

"Who, me?"

Sternly, he gazed down at me. "Yes, you."


	16. Wild

**Wild**

"Please? Please, please, please, please can I have one?"

"One please does the trick fine, Rin."

"Yuu and you too, Mom!"

He flicked a hand up. "I can do without."

Holding up a hand to cover my mouth, I mock whispered. "He can't."

And seeing Mom going for it, held out both hands, large grin on my face. Yuu turned his head, eyeing one of the roaming deer striding closer to us. It had been thanks to Mom we'd come here. Somehow, trips such as these tended to be backed and pushed by her. Yuu could and would spend money, except he was more...highly aware? He kept track of his money, figuring out the subtractions in his head, weighing it against things he already had in mind to save for and if it was considered manageable.

Mom insisted though. So we were good. Both of them were the type to keep track of their money. In my hands? I was a little less able to keep it in my hands long.

"Thank you, Mom!" Taking the yen, I dashed through people and deer, going up to wait in line for buying crackers.

Not long at all. But that's okay. I'm seven today. And I'd said weeks, months ago how I wanted to see deer from Nara someday.

It'd been a long trip down on the Nara Line from Kyoto, but this was worth it. Even visiting Todai-ji before we saw the deer was worth it. The size of Buddha was _enormous. _His eyes were only 15 centimeters less than my height. And that was only his eyes. The entire bronze statue was 14.98 meters tall and Yuu said it would take nearly 13 of me standing on top of each other to make the same height. He also said it'd be right about 9 of him. _Enormous_. When we were in there, I crawled easily into enlightenment through the supporting post. That's what they say anyway. That passing through the hole in that support post would bring you to enlightenment.

I know it's just size and twisting to get yourself through. Not too hard for me. But it was fun to see Yuu and Mom do it when I asked if they were going to do it too.

Complete with _pictures_.

Weaving my way back, I handed one cracker to Yuu and one to Mom.

"Okay," I began seriously. "Now, make sure to bow and have them bow back. Oh! You could have them take it from your mouth!"

The deer had already spotted the objects in my hand, so it didn't take long. Yuu merely bowed to one, which lowered it's head, stepping closer in anticipation of the cracker at hand. Handing the camera to him, she'd taken a picture when Yuu had bowed, Mom went to bow to the deer coming up behind the first. While they could roam the area freely, it was not as though they were wild. They were visited by people everyday of the year and knew people would give them food.

_I_, stuck the cracker in my mouth and bowed, sticking my neck out. The deer followed suit and I giggled. It's mouth tickled at my lips.

"It looks as though that deer took a liking to you," Mom said with a laugh a few minutes later as we reached a set of stairs. "Maybe it has a sense today is a special day for you."

I spun around and spotted the deer following less than a meter behind me. A smile broke out across my face. "Did you take a liking to me? You know, today happens to be my birthday. Yuu, look! The deer is still following me! Maybe it's because I feed it different than a simple bow."

And then Yuu responded, humor in his voice. "Mom bought and stuck a cracker into your back pocket earlier."

"Birthdays are allowed to have some spark of the supernatural. So logical." Mom shook her head. "Tall and distinguished and..."

"Logical," I chimed in with her. "That's okay. Because now I have a second chance."

Reaching back, I took the cracker out of my pocket, motioning with a finger for Yuu to come close. He bent down and waited. Rocking on my feet, I grinned, lifting the cracker directly in front of him.

"Open wide!"

And to my utter glee and joy, he did.


	17. Ornament

**Ornament**

Holding it in my hands, I turned the object over, puzzling over it. The paint was faded and chipped. It had a gash pressed into one side which made it unable to balance and stay upright. I tried. It lay where it fell on the desk. There wasn't any likelihood of it being an ornament there with the three things Yuu had up on display. A framed photograph of Mom and him and me, my fishing pole golden heart taped on the side, and a sleek dark palm sized rock Yuu claimed I gave to him when I was little.

This thing. The object didn't look right on the desk. Or jammed behind a drawer. This thing...didn't fit Yuu. At all. It lay there and I frowned at it.

"Did you find—"

"Yuu. What's this?"

I turned to him, finding Yuu utterly still at the doorway, towel falling from his head and out of his hands. Water trailed down his face from thick wet strands of hair. Rubbing it away with a palm, he shoved his hair back, slicking it back and out of the way.

And froze again. Winced with a sharp intake of breath. His hand came back up, quicker, covering his eyes as he rubbed his temples. Then, deliberately, messed his hair back up, water droplets flying.

Making his way across our bedroom, he picked up his eyeglasses and slid them on. Looked right at me.

"A martial arts figure," he answered evenly. "Where was it?"

"It fell. It was stuck behind the desk drawer." I pointed to the drawer in question. "Whose is it? It's not mine and it can't be yours. You dislike this kind of thing."

Yuu pursed his lips, thinking. And then he spoke slowly, yet surely. "Violence. Yes. Needless violence and..." A breath drew in, his lip twitching up like he found something funny, but it wasn't the same. "It's mine. It was mine. From when I was your age."

"Oh."

Startled by this, I stood by the desk, looking to the figure again. There was a time Yuu had something like this? But that was so...so weird. I know a huge number of boys and some of the girls in my class liked martial arts, doing some sort of class or lessons. But to think of Yuu like some of them and _tiny_? My size? Pretending he was a samurai or ninja or wrestler like the boys in my class? No. There was no way Yuu was like them. Ever.

"Did you...did you like martial arts?"

"I... I enjoy the focus needed, familiar repetition, and the fluidity of the stances."

I hadn't been expecting that. I had been expecting him to say it was a gift. That he put it into the desk and forgot about it.

"Not violence," Yuu added.

"You took _classes_?"

"Was taught for a time, yes."

I gaped at him, mouth open wide. Yuu had learned martial arts? It wasn't necessarily violent, but, but, but Yuu had always been so against anything remotely near people hurting people.

His round eyes flicked down to the figure, then away, moving to pick his towel back up. "You can toss it. I thought I already tossed it some time ago."

"O-okay," I stuttered out.

My feet moved on autopilot out of our bedroom. This, this was weird. Yuu? Martial arts? He had such a weird look, like when topic got close to _him_. Something had happened. Maybe...maybe someone was hurt when Yuu was learning? Maybe that's why Yuu was acting so...so weird and admitting unYuu-like things.

"Rin? What's wrong?"

Turning to Mom preparing a meal, I held up the figure. She stilled. Her eyes widened.

"I found it," I announced blandly. "Yuu said it was _his_. And that he did classes."

Still weird. It didn't make sense.

"Used to, yes." Mom was solemn, carefully setting down what she'd been holding. Moving around, she came over to me, taking the figure from my hands. "This had been a gift. For...Yuu's 5th birthday. It had been a favorite activity between them."

She didn't specify the person and I didn't ask. _Him_.

"Oh."

No wonder Yuu thought he tossed it out.

Mom then smiled, turning the figure over in her hands, peering back to me and spoke like she was imparting a secret. "I always thought Yuu looks very serene and graceful when he goes through the stances. Like a dancer."

I perked up at that. "A dancer?"

She nodded.

I went racing, feet thumping in a mad pitter-patter-skid, back to our bedroom. Yuu jumped, chair screeching back. I rushed up to him, too excited to apologize.

"A dancer," I yelled gleefully. "You can be a dancer! It's got stances and no violence! Much more sense! A dancer!"

His eyes went from wide to narrow, turning to the doorway. I could hear Mom's chuffing from here. He projected his voice and all the dry annoyance in it. "A dancer?"

"Yeah!"

"No."

"Mom said you looked graceful!"

"No."

"It takes focus!"

"No."

"You said you liked that."

"No."

"But I think you'd look awesome in a tu-tu!"

He sputtered.


	18. Misfit

**Misfit**

Without pause in speaking to Aoba, Yuu reached back for his jacket and handed it over to me.

Hopping up from my chair, I stuck my arms through, plenty of empty room and hands unseen. I wrapped it up around me, bundling up, burrowing my head into the scant remains of heat left to it. It smelled like Yuu. Ink and paper, musky, faint smell of sandalwood from dabs of his cologne, traces of citrus from his gel, reminders of meals, and home.

I wiggled my way back up onto the chair, drawing my knees and feet up. There was a flicker of eyes snapping in my direction at putting my feet up. I left them up. They weren't _on _the chair. And if Yuu had issue with them tucked into his big blocky jacket, he'd tell me.

The two of them continued conversation, words rolling past and over my head, details of Yuu's latest essay being and having been the topic of interest this whole time here. Supposedly, Yuu's longest one yet. And the looking to be the most prolific, following up how the last one did. Thus, Yuu coming here and all the talking with Aoba and several others at the office.

Catching sight of Yuu standing, I hopped up, his jacket hanging down somewhere around my knees, and said my farewell to Aoba. Who I caught totally checking and swiping at the chair I'd been on when Yuu and I left. My shoes never touched the seat.

"I have one last place to stop at, then back home. Warm enough Rin?"

His eyebrow rose up at me as we walked the sidewalk. Besides Yuu handing me his, which had become a bit more of an effort for him to get on, I had on the new jacket Mom and I had gone out to get me for this winter. I grinned, snuggled into his jacket, and nodded. "Mm-hm! The new jacket you wanted to get, right?"

"Right." He rubbed briskly at his shirt sleeves, feet striding wide and I was glad to keep up, hurrying along and stay warm.

"Are you sure I can't just use your old one, Yuu?" I asked as his eyes roamed over the choices at the store we'd reached. "It's comfy."

"It's a bit of a misfit on you," he replied absently. And then pulled his choice out, shrugging it on to try.

I made a face and wiggled my nose. Like Yuu had room to talk. Like he didn't choose jackets _slightly_ too big on him. To last longer, he'd say.

Catching sight of my face, Yuu chuckled and ruffled my hair.

"A little room to grow into. Save my yen for other things. Like your chocolate ice cream," he teased.

I brightened.

"Ice cream? Can I get some today? Since we're out?"

"I thought you were extra cold already."

I clutched his old jacket around me tighter. "I'll grow into it," I declared loudly. Then added loftily. "And there's no such thing as bad time or weather for ice cream."

His round eyes crinkled.

"Ice cream it is."

"Yay!"


	19. Sling

**Sling**

I can't believe it.

Ican'tbelieveitIcan'tbelieveitIcan'tbelieveit!

Bouncing, I couldn't figure out what to look at first. Everything! Dashing in a small area, staying close to the man talking, I looked about.

Rock walls.

Everywhere.

Colorful dots to climb up.

Allowed to climb up.

And all the equipment.

Hooks and clips and straps and cords and webbings.

People climbing.

And pushing off, going down in short falls at a time with a hup...hup...hup.

"Focus, Rin."

"Right, right, right."

Because I knew Yuu. Ican'tbelieveit! Yuu brought me to a rock wall climbing gym! Focus, focus. I know Yuu and his safety concerns and rules, he might have been amused with the twitch on his mouth at my excitement when we first arrived, but that pinched look of concern was working its way onto his face. Being here was exciting enough, but if I didn't focus, that's all it would be. A promise to later.

I'd always wanted, but never pestered about it as I knew I was little and how Mom only splurged on trips and Yuu through little things, _never_ anything like this.

Ican'tbelieveit!

Bouncing on my heels, I focused and zeroed in on the man speaking.

It was a small wall, clearly meant for those younger and beginners, I was _positive_ I'd be up there in a zip, but it was still a wall and a new type of climbing challenge compared to any park.

The man had me step in and then started clicking and adjusting the straps on the sling to keep me safely attached from falling. Like I was going to fall. I was going to climb!

"Yuu!"

My fingers gripped tight, not moving. I turned my head and looked down at Yuu. Looked down. So high!

He'd been watching the whole time. "Yes?"

"To your second year at Meiou! And being top student!"

And I wrenched the rope, clanging the bell at the top of the rock wall.


	20. Tread

**Tread**

I hopped.

To one side. Then the other. Always forward.

It was one of my earliest memories.

Nothing huge or big or memorable, as far as I know.

Just...hopping down the sidewalk. A familiar sidewalk of just up the block. The way to the park.

I can't say what posters were up. Or if anything was different about the sidewalk compared to now. It was...not important?

It could have been any time I'd gone down that sidewalk. At any age. But I _think _it's my earliest memory I can remember.

One side. Hop. The other. Hop. Forward.

The day may have been sunny or cloudy, not sure. But it had rained. Because I was hopping on top of wet footsteps, following the steady tread of Yuu.

My hopping along got harder. Maybe getting tired. I know I looked up after a hop, looking ahead to expect his back, looking up to call for him.

Except Yuu wasn't that much farther ahead. His round eyes were looking right back at me.

He was without glasses, curls shorter and tighter, taller than me and yet definitely smaller than now, his jawline not as noticeable.

And wearing an elementary school uniform.

It was maybe right before he went to junior high.

But clearly, his uniform from elementary. And one of my earliest memories. I'm sure of it.

And then Yuu took a deliberate long stride forward, planting his foot down solidly.

I grinned.

And hopped to the next one.


	21. Treasure

**Treasure**

"It doesn't look right," I complained.

Mitsu hummed, tilting her head. "It has what we needed. In the right places. Look, the park is up from your apartment and down from mine, see?"

"I know it works. But it doesn't look right," I complained again. "The school is too close to the park. Yuu?"

His head turned from the desk, glancing to us sprawled out on the floor, a large sheet of paper between as and crayons scattered everywhere. I pointed to the paper. And his gaze scanned it over. "It's not to scale. Did you measure out the blocks with a ruler?"

"Measure out..." My eyes went wide. "That would have been so much better! We should have put each block as so many centimeters and _then _squished in the buildings. Too late now."

A desk drawer slid open. "There is a backside. Bring it here for me. The desk has a more even surface."

I brightened, scrambling up, and the large sheet of paper flapped with me. Mitsu followed, black crayon at hand. Yuu laid out the paper and set the crayon aside, hand plucking up his mechanical pencil. Eyes moving from one side to the other, then up the length, he then began measuring and tracing a light grid. Every so often, he scratched in a square, labeling the spot for us. Then he switched to the black crayon. On the bottom of the large sheet, he measured out a waxy line and wrote what it stood for.

"Oh," Mitsu breathed in surprise. "Yes, that does look better."

"Here you two go. Your treasure map is now to scale. Will the 'X' be on the park?"

"Maaaybeee."

His eyebrow went up, glancing to Mitsu, who sighed. "That's a yes then."

"Well, you're the real treasure, Yuu!"

I lifted the paper up and beamed at it.

"This is _so _much better with a scale! You should be a professional mapmaker."

"I will keep that option in mind," Yuu responded dryly. "Making straight lines for a living sounds impressive."

"To scale," I said and wagged my finger at him. "Or people would think Natsue and Aoi were next door neighbors."

Mitsu giggled behind a hand. "I think Aoi would like our first map then, Rin."

I met her eye and we both cracked up into laughter.

"Ah. I believe my straight lines went from better, to my being a jeweled prize, to... Nevermind. With how those two are."

"Nevermind what?"

Yuu turned back to his schoolwork.

"Nevermind what, Yuu?"

"I have a feeling I do not want to hear Natsue's ranking of me."

"Okay," I said blankly. Because it is not as though Yuu hasn't heard before from my friends on how much they like him. He's Big Brother Yuu to them. "I won't tell you."

That didn't mean I wasn't going to tell Natsue to praise Yuu for making it to scale.

Yuu did _not_ look amused with me when Natsue ran up to him the next park outing to spew off all her appreciation.


	22. Ghost

**Ghost**

Flipping the flap open, Yuu slid out the photographs. He paused. Shuffled through them. And his shoulders went down with a huff.

"What is it, Yuu? Let me see."

He eyed me. "Think you can manage a smile rather than a freeze again for me?"

I crossed my eyes, tongue poking out. Then I smoothed out my face, smiling up at him. "I can."

He raised an eyebrow. "But will you?" Tucking the pictures back inside, he handed the envelope over to me.

Flipping open the flap again, I pulled them out to get a look. They were...weird. Flashes of home shone through over ones taken on our snowy winter trip.

"What happened?"

"Double exposure. We used a film with pictures already taken on it."

I gasped.

"This is so much neater! Look! I look like a ghost! I'm there...and there. Like I'm floating out of my body."

Looking up to Yuu, I took in his face, clearly bothered by these photos. Oh right. He had really wanted the nice picture. Well, I guess... I patted at his hand and his head turned fully to me.

"I will. For as many times as you like."

Ruefully, he smiled, reaching out to ruffle my hair.

"For every smile, I geeet… Ten freezes! Blah!"

"Please," he beseeched me. "No ghost freezes."

I halted.

Then mummy walked out of the store.


	23. Ancient

**Ancient**

Slowly, I moved each, one-by-one, from my right side to my left side. Studying each one. Choices, choices.

Who even were some of these? Kaguyahime? Banban? Alice? Iruka?

I knew who Happy End and The Tigers were. And PYG. Carol and therefore Eikichi Yazawa. Southern All Stars, Yuming, Off Course, and Tulip were obvious. There were the even more obvious ones Yuu enjoyed picking of Mom's vinyl collection, the very not Japanese ones. The 'I latched onto them out of curiosity and thus decided to learn the language' albums. Like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Small Faces, Bob Dylan, and John Lennon.

But some of these, I wasn't sure about. I turned the backs on a few, hoping something on the album would ring a bell for me. It's not like any of them were going anywhere. These were all old. Ancient. Older than Yuu. Well, there were a few of these who had cassette tapes on the shelf, but these albums were older and only to be played by record player. Which I could totally operate at my age. I could play all of them, but...

Choices, choices. Which one to play first?

"Need a hand?"

"I have a pile of those I know and like, those you like, those I know one song on the back, those I have no idea at all, and the enka ones."

A long hand came down and shuffled through the enka pile.

"An enka one?"

I thought he'd go for the pile of UK bands from way back when.

"You singled them out into their own category. I merely choose one for you." He pulled one out and I saw his mouth twitch. Then he slid his eyeglasses back up, standing to display the chosen first one. "All right. Let's go."

I didn't even have to look. I saw the name earlier. I giggled outright.

"Yoshi Ikuzō. All right! Let's go!"

* * *

It's a pun. Chosen stage name for this enka singer is a pun. "Yoshio, ikuzo!" (Alright, let's go!)  
Also, result of, I had far too much fun some time ago looking up older hit songs and artists from Japan, making lists of them. For...reasons. (Okay, I specifically was looking up music out in Japan before and during the time YuYu Hakusho aired)


	24. Dizzy

**Dizzy**

I clambered up, careful. Slowly, I poured the hot water into the checkered mug, then set the boiling water farther back so I didn't knock into it while it cooled. Digging, I found the tea of choice to put in. Ginger. Ginger was good. Scrounging about in the cupboard, I snagged out a few left over biscuits. I set both onto a sturdy plate and eyed it as I made my way back to our bedroom. Step-by careful-step.

"Yuu?"

There was a delay. "Hm?"

He didn't turn, didn't take his eyes off his work, pen scrawling across sheets of paper for his next essay. A big one. Due in a few days. All his focus on the essay, late into the night, loosing track of how long he'd been going at it. Even failed to realize it was _that late _and shift out of our bedroom to continue his work. He'd not eaten much for dinner either, insisting I take most of it as he wasn't that hungry and would get a snack later.

Well, it was later.

"Yuu."

"Mm-hm."

Hand stilling, he lifted his head and turned it to look at me, eyes blinking rapidly and head bobbing a bit. Dizzy, a hand went up to press at his temple. He flinched. I tried not to laugh as he'd forgotten the pen was still in his hand. Blearily, he stared at it and my concern had my feet moving again.

Yuu gave a quick shake of his head and stood, hastily taking the plate from me, somehow moving it neatly across and to the desk. Then turned back to me with a frown.

"You should be in bed, Rin."

"I stayed up to cheer you on and give you subst-substance. Yes. That."

Tiredly, yet fondly, he ruffled my hair. Then yawned. With his mouth shut. Wow. Wish I could pull that trick off.

"Yes, you did well. Now you really must get into bed."

"Okay. Are you close to being done, Yuu?"

"Nearly. It will do me good to stretch and take a small break after sitting for so long." He smiled at me as he pulled my sheets up to my chin. "I will move to finish up before I head to bed and take care of the mess in the kitchen, but you should have been in bed twenty minutes ago. The tea smells nice, thanks for that."

I beamed at the praise. "It's ginger. The one you always drink when you sip and snack. I think we're out of your favorite snack though. But those biscuits are good. I like them, so they should be okay for your snack, right?"

Yuu hummed and ruffled my hair again. "Goodnight, Rin."

"Goodnight, Yuu! Glad you're almost done. And we get to go to the library tomorrow so you can type it. And visit with Izumi."

"Go to sleep."

The light clicked off.

To my joy, it turned out it didn't take Yuu long to finish up, because the next day on our way to the library and to see his favorite librarian...Yuu pulled out those biscuits for me to snack on. Yum!


	25. Tasty

**Tasty**

Denial was a funny thing. Because Yuu tried. I could see him trying. To forget my slip about not belonging in this world. Or things I did that triggered thoughts about me telling him I remembered a past life. I was still me, still Rin, just little things more to me now. And, it seemed, a fair part of the time, Yuu could push that out of his mind.

Well, for Yuu.

His fingers tapped at his sides.

I should give him something else to focus on. He always kept so busy. Strived under staying busy, the pressure, and challenges. A simple one.

Pushing what I had pulled out already for a couple of bentos off to the side, I peered up at him, his eyes blinking away the tightness at watching me getting things ready.

"Can you make me shiojake, Yuu? It sounds really tasty today. Breakfast and lunch," I asked hopefully.

His mouth quirked up. "And dinner too?"

"Maaaybeee. Can we?"

Yuu drew up the items and got to work, hands moving easily as he put the shiojake into the toaster oven, taking out salmon to soak in sake, and began prepping the rice. Busy and eyes focused on the task. I slunk behind him and took out the leftovers of my noodle dish, the one that was more past life and the one I'd insisted on making, and tossed them. Going back next to him, I watched, memorized as he removed the salmon soaking to dry it off. To make more shiojake to replace in the refrigerator.

I took a big whiff.

His mouth twitched again, eyes peering down at me through the bottoms of his eyeglasses. I beamed up at him. Eyes crinkling, he went back to drying off the salmon and then picked up the salt, handing it down to me before picking me up so I could sprinkle it everywhere on the salmon.

Everywhere.

"Nice job, Rin."

I grinned.

Distraction, success.

It wasn't that I wanted him to forget. But I wanted him to forget. Yuu couldn't. Denial, although he tried, was not his thing. Keeping him busy worked and being his little sister to take care of worked. He'd always been like that. More at ease being a hard working older brother. That was Yuu.

And maybe, for a moment, I could put anything else concerning Shinobu Sensui and why he'd done things to the side.

Some appreciation. To be glad that Yuu hadn't lost me. Thanks to him. And whatever he did. I didn't know why and that was terrifying. But...

I could be glad for this moment.

Just Yuu. And me. Making shiojake a running meal choice for the day.


	26. Dark

**Dark**

"Kid. I bet you're used to people making all sorts of a fuss over that hair."

Well. Yuu wasn't wrong. The trainee didn't have an inkling of excitement or eagerness on her face. She had gone to work without the leastest amount of animation I had ever seen for someone cutting Yuu's hair. Which is probably why Yuu preferred her.

"I have an open seat over here, Rin," called out an older hairdresser. Bob cut, make-up done just so as was every time, Aiko. The other hairdressers were giving her looks, but she spun her just now emptied chair around in my direction and smiled. "I'll style it for you again."

I nearly moved. Aiko had styled my hair before. Several times, in fact. But I shook my head. "Maybe next time?"

Turning around, I made for the only other empty chair in the place, the one Yuu had just vacated. And sat. Eyebrow raising at me, the newest hairdresser continued taking a swig of water before fully turning to me.

Washed and rinsed, dried, cover wrapped around me, her eyes and hands focused on my hair, working it through with a wide toothed comb, then carefully and assuredly snipping away at it. I watched her work when she was in front of me and by mirror when behind me. I wiggled my toes in my shoes to keep myself entertained and watched as dark little half circle bits of hair sprinkled onto the cover or floor.

"Surprising," she commented. Her fingers moved swiftly, brown eyes focused on what she was doing. "No talking."

She wasn't much of a talker. There hadn't been much conversation with her and Yuu besides specifics on what he wanted for his hair. Or, well... Yuu wasn't much of a talker.

I glanced back towards Yuu in the mirror's reflection. As soon as I'd sat, he'd sat with his schoolbooks and begun working. We'd been talking before when he was getting his hair trimmed. I'd been telling him about how my day at school had gone. But it still seemed fitting for her in my mind of her not being much a talker.

"Thought you'd try an attempt of getting me to style it. The thing Aiko offered you that nearly worked."

I blinked back over to her. Well, her mirror image as she worked. "Oh. No. Yuu said you can't be charmed."

"I did not say that."

"Yuu said you don't jump at any request like the rest usually do. I like getting my hair played with and styled, but he choose you to trim his hair and he's chosen you before. I'm okay without you styling it. Because you must be really good with curly hair."

She hummed, continuing to snip. "My kid brother has curly hair," she offered out and dropped the personal information. Shifting around, the scissors kept moving without pause. "Much like your older brother's hair. Yours, it has more curl to it. What do you say about proving him wrong?"

"Proving..." I frowned. "But Yuu's not wrong."

Fingers and scissors and comb kept moving. "He's human. He could be. We could prove him wrong."

"Yuu is not wrong. There's nothing to prove."

Her eyes peered at me for a moment, then focused her eyes back to my hair. "That's charming," she stated. The snips kept going.

"Huh? What is?"

There was a distinct pause. The newest hairdresser lifted her eyes up, her lips quirking upwards as she meet Yuu's gaze through the mirror when he pulled his attention up and off his schoolwork. He sighed.

"I believe she is offering you a chance at her styling your hair, Rin."

"Oh. Oh! That's okay. Yuu said he'd style it for me."

"Really?" She brushed off a few stray strands. "It wouldn't do to prove him wrong. But...perhaps I can show him a new style?"

I gasped and spun. "Yes! Can you?"

"Right, over here to learn a three braid updo, older sibling."

Marking and closing his books, Yuu set them aside, standing and moving to listen and watch intently as she explained and pointed at the back of my head, showing how to do the style. A new style! And one Yuu could do again for me if I liked and wanted it again! Ecstatic, I wiggled in the seat, trying to picture what it would look like. Then hopped up when they were done, twisting in front of the mirror to get a good look at my new trim.

"She's adorable," I overheard the hairdresser comment quietly to Yuu. Straightly and manner of fact, placing her items back to where they belong. I met her eye in the mirror and grinned. Then went back to pulling at my hair, twisting and turning, getting the whole look of the cut. "In that innocently happy kid kind of way. She really believes and trusts in you and what you know. Going to me because you did, rather than Aiko, who's done her before."

I spun, beaming brightly. "Yuu's the best! And he's right. This is one of the best trims I've ever had! I want you to cut it next time I'm here!"

Pursing my mouth, I looked her over, up and down. Tall. Slim. Long brown hair. Long slacks with a white button down and vest. Nonchalant face with maybe a trace of amusement.

"There. I'll remember you for next time now."

Definite amusement. "If you say so kid."

I skipped over to gather up my bag, nearly missing her sharp undertone. The words weren't aimed at me. But at Yuu.

"Hey. Careful. I know you have no reason to heed my words, but I'm strongly giving it. That's going to hurt you _far_ more than it will her when your knowledge fails or isn't enough."

Peering through the long curls that'd fallen around my face in bending down for my bag, I saw Yuu breaking her grasp on his forearm, wrenching it away with narrow eyes upon her. The hairdresser let him go, brown eyes sad in watching, then shook her head and went back to her station. Reaching me, Yuu gathered up his own things to put into his bag.

"Ready to go, Rin?"

"Mm-hm!" I followed him out, then pipped up, "I should get ice cream. You too, Yuu!"

To my surprise and glee, he paused, then agreed easily. "If you insist."

"Yay!"

* * *

Because, yes, I'm sneaking in both of the Kuwabaras before Chapter Black. Kazuma's back and protection when a year or two younger than YuYu Hakusho starts, the less likely to be really remembered by the Kaito siblings, much less returning two stations down for a grocery trip after that for a repeat meeting. But Shizuru being a hairdresser for them closer to their area is a little more memorable and recent. Also, now I'm imagining an interesting remeet moment behind the scenes with Yuu and Shizuru during Chapter Black.


	27. Coat

**Coat**

Changing her shoes over, Mom headed out the apartment door for work. I shifted around my small bites left and tried to be sneaky in glancing through my curly black strands at Yuu. He frowned at me and got up to take care of his empty plate. I kept peeking at him. When he moved to the window to watch Mom head down the street, I scrapped what I had left to one side, shot up and dashed over to the sink. Quickly, I wrapped what I had left in a paper towel, putting my now empty plate into the sink and dashed out the apartment door.

"Rin!"

"I'm just going down to the entrance! Not far!"

I didn't stop to hear what he had to say about that. If I wasn't fast about this, I'd lose my chance. I'd asked around and I had to do it before it was dark.

Reaching the bottom, I turned right outside the apartment building, standing on tippy-toe to line up the bits of food I'd saved.

And then waited.

"You're luring the calico cat to you, aren't you?"

I squeaked, spinning. "Yuu!"

His lips twitched as he stepped closer, shaking his head. "You are full well aware we cannot have a cat in our apartment building." His eyebrow quirked up. "You have tried before. Remember?"

"I know." I pouted. "I cannot bring Hidenka into the building."

There was silence. Yuu stared at me. I stared up at him, then caught sight of the cat I'd been waiting for dashing along the wall. "Shush, shush, shush!" Pushing at Yuu's leg until he moved back a couple meters, I watched from a respectful distance as the cat caught scent of the fish.

Amber eyes flashed to me, back to the food, then zipped across to nibble down the line.

"She took it!"

"You named the neighborhood cat? You named the neighborhood cat Hidenka?"

I was busy looking up and down the way, trying to find my first real spotting of a different cat. "Don't be silly. Mitsu came up with the name. I came up with Pekoneko." I perked up, dancing where I stood. Hidenka stilled, poised to jump clear out of there. But at a tiny noise, flattened her ears at me and hissed. I took a step back and tugged at Yuu to follow. "Look, there."

A tiny little calico kitten scrambled to get up on the wall. It let loose little pleading sounds, then hurried down the wall with no grace, small plump body moving back and forth with every step. Like it was a little bumper car to run into someone. Rather than the sleek coat and slinky nature of its mother in being perfect miniature, the smaller one had a coat of all stand out fluff to go with it's wobbling about.

Together, Yuu and I watched the little one shove up and by its mother to scarf and overly chew at pieces of fish.

"Are you going to keep asking for more fish than usual this week, Rin?"

I peered up at him. "Can I?"

Yuu smiled down at me. "What do you think?"

"That Hidenka needs all the extra food she can get with a kitten?"

"Make another attempt."

"That I'm smaller and don't eat much anyway?"

"Again."

"That I can use up my birthday wish coming up in a couple of weeks?"

There was a slight shift to his head, eyeglasses flashing in the low sunset. Oh? Did that one work on him? He was more prone than Mom in giving in when I asked for things. And birthday wishes were usually gold with Yuu.

"I could always bait you."

Thrown aback, I frowned up at Yuu. "Huh?"

"It would be easy," he claimed. I scowled. I wasn't as easily lured as Hidenka and even then the cat took her cautious time.

"I am not! That'd be Mitsu with promise of anything PRINCESS PRINCESS! Not me!"

"Oh? No?" He smiled, secretively, knowingly, and turned back to the apartment.

"Yuu! I am not! Yuu!"

I chased up after him.


	28. Ride

**Ride**

"Tired?"

"Nuh-uh. I'm not."

"It has been a long day."

"I'm awake."

"And it is late. Nearly your usual bedtime."

"I'm good. I got this. One station over, then a short walk home."

"Mm. Here comes our train."

"Oh. It's pretty empty. Let's get a seat, Yuu."

"Sure."

"Can...can we go back? To the climbing gym, I mean. Some...someday soon?"

"Someday."

"...Good."

"Rin. Rin. Rin, wake up."

"M'up. I wasn't...wasn't sleeping. Resting eyes. For a little...little bit. Is our stop?"

"Rin. We're home."

"...I knew that. My eyes...they're open. I swear."

"Sure, Rin. I have a pair of pajamas out for you. You need to put them on."

"Uh-huh."

"Which means I need to set you down. Without you falling over."

"I won't. I...promise. I promise. No falling."

"Get ready for bed. I have a few things to go take care of. Try not to fall asleep with your clothes on."

"Mm. Pajamas are clothes, Yuu."

"Right. Street clothes and shoes."

"Oh. Shoes. And this...that...there...is't backwards? No? It's on. Bed."

"Do you want the covers on? Rin? Rin? You fell asleep again. Guess that is one way to run down your energy and tucker you out."

"...Not tuck'ed. I gots sheets pull up."

"Here. I am going to get them all the way on you. Goodnight, Rin."

"'night, Yuu. Was fun. Yuu?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for ride. Your curls soft. And...and you're...warm. And...something... Something...nice..."

"Something nice. Quite a stunning note of endorsement."

"Mm-hm."

"Good night. Go to sleep."

"Mm..."


	29. Injured

**Injured**

"I thought high school was going well for you, Yuu."

"It is fine," he answered tersely. Grumbling the whole time, face pinched, eyes _really_ focused and knuckles white from notetaking. "I thought I had him this time. After that first time... The challenge rose. I will defeat you."

I blinked.

And decided not to ask again.

I had a feeling it had something to do with his class ranking again.

It had never seemed to bother him before high school. He'd always strove to be top of the class and to challenge himself, pushing to do better. But he had never quite gotten so...intense about it before.

Wandering out to sit with Mom, who was watching the news with her favorite once-a-week peach water, I glanced back to our bedroom. Weird. I frowned and tried to get interested by the news. But it was boring. So I turned to Mom instead.

"Mom."

"Mm?"

"Is there something...wrong? Yuu's acting like something is wrong. And he's got to fix... What?"

Mom's mouth had twitched up into an amused smile, chuckling, bringing her drink in front of her mouth.

"I believe"—Her smile was more obvious now, clearly entertained, eyes twinkling—"it's a matter of Yuu's pride being injured."

Frowning, I tried to puzzle that out.

"Can we heal it?"

Mom let out a laugh, her smile going big at me. "Yuu's had a fair bit of pride since a kid. He knows I am proud of him, no matter. I've always known he's loved learning and I'm glad of it. He may need a bit of a reminder every now and then, which reminds him not to take it _quite _so hard and that balance in life is good. You are free to try, Rin," she added at the end. I perked up. Then it could be healed. "You have been a big part of his pride since you were born. His little sister."

"Since I was born?"

I frowned.

"I don't remember what I did that little."

I hopped up off the couch.

"I'm gunna see if a band-aid helps heal it," I declared loudly and scampered off to the bathroom.


	30. Catch

**Catch**

Yuu sometimes says how my trust in him is concerning. Or terrifying. Or worrisome. Or something like that.

But I know my trust is very well placed in my older brother.

I cannot go wrong with Yuu.

"Catch," I shout loudly.

And leapt off the climbing bars. Toward Yuu. Who spun and caught me.

I broke into giggles.

"Again!"

Not as amused by my fun throwing myself at him our whole time at the park, Yuu steeled me with a look and tightened his grip on me.

"No."

"Awww!"

* * *

Random trust fall exercises being overdone, except Rin style and that little kid love of having their body go flying through the air.


	31. Ripe

**Ripe**

Taking a deep breath, the smell of this morning's breakfast transported me.

I felt warm humidity and warmth of rumbling huge machinery, sun of a cloudless day, yet pink little flakes were blowing and landing everywhere on the ground. An undertone of sharply pleasant just cut grass. Flakes and grass mingling with every back and forth pass. A smell I couldn't put into words, earthy and familiar, but very much _home_. A huge long yard, large white sheeted building, a two story house, trees scattered and lining the back two-by-two.

That's where I was. Up in a tree, the little out of sight pathway of two rows of trees planted in the backyard to serve as a windbreaker, planted well before we were ever there. The rough bark and sap smell was on and under my hands.

I was just...watching it all, taking it all in, at a distance. Solstice in being alone and surrounded by everything. For as long as I could. An afternoon of watching the fields slowly being combed through and eaten up. Of freedom of doing anything I wanted for the afternoon. Of just being.

Until I heard the call of a name, turning my head to see figures walking from house to barn, the distinct bur-rrr thrum of the milk room starting up. And my sun soaked longer limbs moving in quick ease and familiarity back down the tree, calling back that I was coming, dashing up to the house to change clothes.

"Rin?"

I looked up to see my older brother, sitting across me at the table, in our apartment. Home. My home. Our home. Not...

"Just smelling, Yuu."

"It may not be as sweet as the last corn we bought, but you still need to eat before school."

"It's not that. The smell is different. More...ripe."

Yuu's eyebrow raised at me, most of his breakfast already gone, including the corn. Finishing off his miso soup, he set the bowl down. "Ripe?"

"Mm-hm."

I had wanted to say right. But it smelled right to memories of my past life. Well, me too. Nothing wrong with sweet corn, but there was something more real to this. Going at it, I ate the corn first and then the rest.

"Done!"

Hopping up, I zipped through the remainder of the morning routine, waiting and bouncing for Yuu at the door. Bet he was taking longer with his hair. It was starting to look long and kind of droopy again. When he came out-finally-his eyes found me and mouth quirked up. "Patience."

"I knooow. But bouncing is fun!"

I glanced up at him as we headed out.

"Hey, Yuu? I lied," I admitted without waiting for the response. "About just smelling. I mean, I was, but the smell had a memory come to mind. From my past life. She was sitting in a tree watching corn being sucked up a huge moving machine thing. It's just... I saw her reflection. It was fast, I didn't get a good look beside long light and straight hair, the glasses, and European looking. But, then I got to thinking when waiting for you... I've never seen any hint of old. Like, older, maybe a little more than you sometimes, but nothing older. Does...does that help you? With the microfilm and newspapers and asking Izumi the last time we were there about getting things from the state you figured out that park was in? To figure out who..."

Trailing off, I dropped my eyes to my feet.

"Sorry."

Pinched eyes and panic.

A large palm ruffled at my hair. Cautiously, I peered back up. Calmed, smiling reassurance.

"It does. It is my job to worry about you, to help you when you need it. As your older brother. And." His eyes creased, trying not to pinch and show his real emotions. "As the one responsible. I will figure this out. I—"

"We," I inserted. "We will figure this out."

He blinked, taken aback, mouth pursing together. Then, slowly, he gave a small smile. And tiny nod.

"We will figure this out. Together. You are not alone in handling this."

"Neither are you."

His footsteps stuttered. "Of course."

But I couldn't tell him. I didn't tell him the entire truth. That my past life had memories that showed Yuu in a story. Focused on Urameshi Yusuke, Spirit Detective, and his adventures navigating fights and life. Because well, the story had been written and drawn and animated and therefore...hadn't happened yet.

Past life was a thing. A thing I never really and truly thought possible, but a thing told by others and passed on through fantasy type stories with enough hint of real and coincidences and superstitions rolled up to make it seem like a thing. But a future life? That wasn't time travel, but a future life? Memories of a past life. I must have been such-and-such in a past life. Not, in a future life I'll grow up on a dairy farm halfway around the world.

Maybe... Maybe it was the life I was supposed to have after, after that accident the piece of paper delivered by Tsukihito from Sensui said I was supposed to die from, the thick 'you're welcome' taunting Sensui's supposed hand in that not happening. Like I'm thankful to him when I know him. Or...know him enough from those memories of YuYu Hakusho.

Not that I in any way am going to tell Yuu that the accident he already felt terribly and was taking so hard and all the responsibilities of trying to fix and solve it...should have killed me. And Sensui saved me. Nuh-uh. No way. He's not messing with Yuu. No one is going to hurt Yuu. Even me. Especially me as every time the topic came up—okay, I brought it up this time, but in how Yuu looked at me, he knew I wasn't telling him the whole thing, okay?—he got that look. Not the pained look of when it came to _him_, our dad. But still. Yuu was in pain, hurting, holding it all on himself.

Huh.

Perhaps that's why he hadn't scheduled or gone to get his hair trimmed up yet.

Because of what that newer hairdresser said.

Which meant...Yuu was already hurting far more than me and likely far more than what I thought or noticed.

Something silly! Something fun! Something...AH! Something!

"Tan-tan-tanuki's balls! Even without wind, they blowing around! When—"

Yuu snorted. I hopped and skipped, beaming, pulling an even sillier voice as Yuu joined me in singing.

* * *

The song Rin sings? Actual children's song from Japan with various additions and differences area to area after the two starting lines.

Thanks to the solid number of those few visitors I saw showing up for each chapter of this. I'm maybe not the happiest with it, but found some enjoyment in tie-in's to the story Rin and adding a little bit to the history of that story. Most of it? Sibling stuff before weird events of Rin. Little sister, older brother. But a few moments during the story timeline of Rin came in every now and then.  
But it's been an...interesting last month or so, not the easiest time for me right now, so I pushed myself to write something, anything, to these word prompts and fight the temptation of saying forget it or getting caught up in feeling shittier for either doing an awful job or for not following through on pushing myself on getting something out. So...fair bit of amazement I made it through all days. And knowing my headspace and this really weird month or two for me, it did help a little to see those few of you who clicked on these moment pieces written in a...not great headspace time for me.  
Thanks, really.  
And with that, the month and prompts are over.


End file.
